Musical stringed instrument.



No. 692,248. Pafented Feb. 4, |902. 1

G. H.. nAvls.

MUSIGAL STRINGE-D INSTRUMENT.

(Application filed Apr. 29, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

No. 692,248. Patented Feb. 4, |902.

` G. H. DAVIS.

MUSICM STRINGED INSTRUMENT.

\Applica.tion led Apr. 29, 189B.) (No Model.) v3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No. 692,243. Patented Een; 4, |902.

G. H. nAv|s.

MUSICAL STRINGED INSTRUMENT.

(Application led Apr. 29, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

ITl/venbor THE Nonms PETERS cu.. FHoTo-L|m0wAsH|NGToN, n c.

Nrrn rares, l PATENT Fries.

GEORGE IIOWLET'I DAVIS, OF NEV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERI- CAN AUTOMUSIO COIWIPANY, OF NEV YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MUSICAL STRINGED lINSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,248, dated February 4, 1902. Application filed April 29, 18799. Serial No. 715,006. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: ated banjos having the aforesaid objection- Be it known that I, GEORGE I-IOWLETT yDA- able features and now in public use the pneu- VIS, residing at New York, in the county of matics, (in addition to the objections named,) New York and State of New York, have inwhichl must necessarily be very large as 5 vented a certain new, useful, and valuable compared with an electromagnet, require a 55 Improvement in Musical Stringed Instrularge cabinet to contain the various pneuments, of which the following is a full, clear, matic mechanisms, whereas the mechanism and exact description. of my improved banjo will not take up more This invention relates to self-playing muthan one-'half the space of the type referred 1o sical stringed instruments; and it has for its to. Another serious objection to the self- 6o object, primarily, to provide in an instrument playing banjos now in use is that two distinct of the character referred to mechanism'whereandA separate mechanical movements, actuby when any one of the 'fretting devices is ated by separate and distinct means, are reoperated to fret anyone of the strings a corquired to produce one note or tone-that is,

l5 respondingpicker-fingerwillbeautomatically t0 produce a tone one device depresses the 65 actuated to pick the string fretted. string upon the proper fret and a separate de-v Y It also has for its object to improve and Vice operates a finger which picks the said simplify the construction and render more efstring-whereas in my improvement no such icient this class of instruments generally. complicated mechanism is necessary, as I prozo It is obvious that this invention maybe apvide a new, novel, simple, and practical me- 7o plied to many kinds of musical stringed inchanical action which performs both of the struments. In the following specification an aforesaid functionsthat is, the depression embodiment of the invention in a self-playof the string and the picking thereof-with ing banjo will be described. j one movement.

z5 To these ends myinvention consists in the Proceeding with a detailed description of 75 features and in the construction, combinamy invention I will iirst describe the instrution, and arrangement of parts hereinafter ment as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, which illusdescribed, and particularly pointed out in the trate my complete mechanical movement inclaims following the description, reference dependent of any form of actuating mech- 3o being had to the accompanying drawings, anism. Y 8o formingapart of this specification, whereinl The neckof my banjo is preferably made Figures 1 and 1n when taken together rep-` of a length of channel-iron 1, and when it is resent a central longitudinal section of my ldesired to secure lightness it is made of aluimproved stringed instrument, which is here minium. Within.. the channeliron are lo- 55 shown as a banjo. Fig. 2 is a transverse seccated three partition-plates 2, in which are 85 tiontaken on aline 2 2 of Fig. 7 of the pickerjourna'led four rock-shafts 3, each having a fingers and showing the electric operating series of crank-pins4, corresponding with the mechanism wherein a perforated music-sheet number of strings to be fretted. Above each is employed. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 show modifret 4a, which frets may of course be omitted,

4o fied forms of operating mechanisms. Fig. 'Z as in some banjos, violins, and other stringed 9o is a front view of a banjo constructed in acinstruments,consideringthe head ofthebanjo cox-dance with thisinvention in ascale slightly as the bottom thereof, is arranged slightly to reduced from that of Figs. 1 and 1. the inner side 'of each string 5 alongitudi- Self-playing banjos now in use are unnecnally-movable fret-rod 6, surmounted by an 45 essarily complicated, are of such delicate conoutwardly-projecting portion 7, faced on the 95 struction as to require very frequent repairs, under side with a piece of felt 8 or other ilexiand note-sheets which operate them have an ble material. Said fretrod works through unnecessary number of perforations and reholes in the face oi the channel-piece 1 and quire great skill and study in the loriginal arhas its lower bearing in the metal strip or 5o rangement thereof. In pneumaticallyoper cover 9. Upon each fret-rod are arranged Ico two metal collars lO and 11, each faced with felt and fixed in such a position upon said fret-rod as to cause them to alternately engage the corresponding crank-pin 4 when the said fret-rod is raised and lowered, and thus cause the shaft 3 to rock in the direction ot' the movement of said fret-rod; but on account of the space separating the said collars 1() and 1l there is a certain amount of lost movement, the purpose of which will be hereinafter made apparent.

Each rock-shaft 3 is provided at its lower end with apicker-finger 12, which is preferably setin acollar 13, adj ustably fixed therein by a set-screw, as more clearly shown in Figl; and these picker-ugers obviously partake of the movement of the rock-shaft 3, but owing to the space between the collars 10 and 1l the picker-finger 12 does not move forward until after the fret-rod 6 has moved down fully one-eighth of an inch, pressing its string 5 against its fret, and at the same time that the string is thus lowered the collar 10 impinges thecrank-pin l, which causes the picker-finger 12 to move against and sweep under the lower string, the several movements occurring in the order named. At this point it should be carefully observed that were the string not lowered the picker-linger would move forward under the string, but would not touch it, and it is the simultaneous lowering of the string and the movement of the piekerlnger which forms one of the leading features of this invention. j

It is obvious that any means or power whatsoever may be employed for the depression of the fret-rods and the concurrent lowering ot' the string and the picking thereof. For instance, the fret-rods G maybe operated manually, under which method the banjo will have the important advantage of allowing fully fou r or more tones to be struck simultaneously, as both hands may be used for the depressing ofthe fret-rods, whereas with the ordinary banjo one hand must be engaged in pickingand the other in depressing the strings over the frets.

Before proceeding to describe any means for automatically operating my banjo I will describe several other improvements, which may be utilized in an ordinary banjo with or without a metallic neck.

Secured to each side of the neck at its base are two metallic extension-rods 14, which are secured to the neck by means ot' screws 15, and the reduced portions 16 extend through the head of the banjo, and a second reduced portion 17 extends beyond the rim of the banjo. Secured to these two projecting'portions 17 are two upwardly-extending arms 18, and through theirjree ends, c lose to the head 19, a cross-rod 2O is extended, and to this cross-rod the lower end of the strings 5 are secured. With these metallic neck-extension rods and string-arms I produce a banjo in which the strings are stretched between the opposite ends of a complete metallic frame,

which sustains the lengthwise tension of the strings independently of the rim or head, which therefore receives only the lateral pressure of the strings through the medium oi thc bridge 5l, thus not only leaving the rim iree to vibrate, but avoiding the constant slackcning to which the strings are liable when they are attached to or supported by the rim ot' the instrument. I thus obviate the wellknown and serious objections which have heretofore existed because of banjos getting out of tune so quickly, and this objection is particularly serious in the case of self-playiugbanjos which are located in publie places, and as at present constructed of wood they require timing fully once every day, whereas with my metal-frame banjo they will not require timing more than once a week. In fact, they should not getout of tune any oftener than a piano.

I will now describe several methods by means of which the mechanism of my banjo may be actuated automatically and describe the preferred form first, which is electrical; but I will again direct attention to the fact that any power whatever may be used in connection with my banjo without avoiding the spirit of my invention.

In Fig.2, 21 indicates an angle-iron,in which is set the iron cores 22 of a series of electromagnets,oneforeachofthe fret-rods6,thehelices 23 being slipped over the cores. The armature 2t is supported by a blade-',spring 25, and the armature-extension 2G isWpreferably formed of a thin strip of metal, the free end of which has a pivotal connection 27 with the fret-rod G, which in this case maybe kept normally raised by the spring 2S or alone by the tension of the armature-spring 25. The diagrammatic view shows the magnet in series with a metal roller 2), upon which rests a contact-finger 30, and intervening between the two is a note-sheet 3l, having perforations therein, which serve to make and break the circuit through the electromagnet, and, as mentioned in the early part of this specification, a single perforation in the note-sheet causes a corresponding tone to be produced, whereas in other forms of banjos two lines of perforations have been necessary to produce a single tone-that is, one line ofperforations would cause the depression ol," the string and the second line of shorter pcrforations to actuate the picker-fingers.

Instead of using a note-sheet 3l to make and break the circuit through the electrom agnet I may make and break the circuit by the depression of a piano-key 32, which would cause a band-spring to be depressed upon the bar 34E and close the circuit. Thus my banjo may be very skillfully played by connectingit with the keys of an ordinary piano, and it is easy to realize that results heretofore impossible by ordinary hand-playing maybe obtained.

In Fig. 4 is illustrated a pneumatic comprising the base 35, the foundation-piece 3G,

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the bellows-leather 37 and the movable leaf 33, the free end of the latter having a pivotal connection with the fret-rod 6. Vhenever the air is exhausted through the tube 39 by means well-known to those skilled in the art, it is obvious that the pneumatic will collapse and the movable leaf 3S moved down and carry with it the fret-rod. As pneumatic instru- 'ments are so well known a further description of this particular form of actuating mechanism is deemed unnecessary.

In Fig. 3 I represent a note-sheet 40, formed of thick paper and passing over a channelbar4l. A selector-finger 42, pivoted at-43, normally bears upon the note-sheet above the channel-bar and is kept normally depressed by the spring 44. Imagining the note-sheet to be propelled forward in the direction of the arrow'45 it is obvious that whenever a selector-iinger in line with a perforation is forced through the latter by the spring it will carry with it the 'fret-rod which is pivotally connected with the extension'46 and sound a note in the manner before described.

In addition to actuating my banjo by electricity, in which the cont-acts are made through the depression of the piano-key 32, as hereinbefore described, I may entirely dispense with the electrical mechanism and make a direct connection to the fret-rod 6 through a rodor extension 47 to a pian o-key, as clearly shown in said Fig. 6.

I-Iaving described my improvements and the various methods by `which they may be ordinarily operated, attention is again directed to Fig. 1, wherein I showmeans for producing pianissimo effects or soft music, said means comprising a lever 48, which is surmounted by two metal buttons 49, which rest directly under the feet 50 of the bridge 51. Said buttons 49 are so arranged as to be moved-upward against a head, and thus lessening the depression thereof and producing softer music. In this particular instance I have shown the lever 4S actuated by an electromagnet 52 of the ordinary form of construction, which electromagnet may be energized by contacts formed in any suitable manner, either by a special line of perforations in a note-sheet or, for instance, by depressing the soft pedal of a piano to which it may be connected. It is equallyobvious that instead of employing an electromagnet 52 to actuate the lever 4S I may employ some `other form of pneumatic or mechanical movement.

Having now described my invention and the various ways in which it may be operated,` .what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with the string of a musical instrument, a picker, aseries of fretting devices and means governed by any fretting device of the series for operating the picker.

2. In combination with the strings of almusical instrument, a series of fretting devices and a picker for each string, and means governed by any fretting device for operating the picker of its corresponding string.

3. In a musical stringed instrument, the

, combination of a device for fretting, and a device for vibrating a string,and means for directly connecting and simultaneously operating both of said devices.

4. In a musical stringed instrument, the combination of devices for fretting and vibrating a string, and means for directly connecting and positively operating both devices from a single motor. y

5. In a musical stringed instrument, controlled bya note-sheet, the combination ofthe string-fretting devices, and a string-vibratying device, with means for operating both of the said devices under lthe control of asingle row of note devices of the note-sheet, for each note to be played.

G. In combination, with the string of a musical instrument, controlled by a note-sheet, a vibrating device,and a series of frettingdevices, and means for operating the st ring-vibrating device and the appropriate fretting device from a single row of note devices of the note-sheet, for each note to be played.

7. In a musical stringed instrument the combination with the picking mechanisms for vibratin g the strings and the fretting devices of a set of operating mechanisms each vof which actuates both its fretting devices and its string-vibrating mechanism.

8. In a musical stringed instrument the combination with the pickers and the stringdisplacing devices, of power mechanism'and a single set of connections each of which connects the power mechanism with a picker and with a string-displacing device for actuating them.

9. In a musical stringed instrument the combination with a series of pickers, and` a series of fretting devices, of a series of fretrods which operate both the pickers and the fretting devices and means for actuating said 10. In a musical stringed instrument the.

Y. single set of perfor-ations for operating b oth the picking and fretting devices and a single set of connections between the stencil and the picking and fretting devices.

11. In a musical stringed instrument the combination with a series of pickers and a series of fretting devices of a stencil with a single set of perforations for operating both the picking and fretting devices, a series of electromagnets controlled by said stencil and a single set of connections between the magnets and the picking and fretting devices.

12. In a musical stringed instrument, the

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combination with picker-fingers for vibrating the strin gs, and fretting devices, of means actuated by the fretting devices for operating the picker-lingers.

13. In a musical stringed instrument, the

combination with picker-fingers for vibrating the strings and fretting devices, of means for operating the fretting devices, and means actuated by the fretting devices for operating the picker-fingers.

14. In a self-playing musical stringed instrument,the combination with picker-fingers and fretting devices, of means for automatically operating the fretting devices,` and mechanism actuated by the fretting devices for operating the picker-lingers.

l5. In a musical stringed instrument, the combination with fretting devices, of pickerngers normally lying below the strings, and means for causing said picker-fingers to engage the strings When the latter are depressed by the fretting devices.

1G. In a musical stringed instrument, the combination with fretting devices, of pickerfingers normally lying below the strings, and means for causing said picker-fingers to engage and sweep beneath the strings when 'the latter are depressed by the fretting devices.

17. In a musical stringed instrument, the combination with picker-lingers normallylying beneath andoutof contactwith'the strings, of fretting devices operating to shorten the vibrating length of the strings and depress the latter into operative position relatively to the picker-fingers, and means for actuating the picker-fingers to vibrate the strings when the latter are depressed.

18. In a musical stringed instrument the combination with the neck thereof, of a series of longitudinally-movable rods projecting through the neck and provided with ends overlying the strings, a rock-shaft extending lengthwise of the neck in operative engagement with the rods, and means for actuating said rods and shaft.

19. In a musical stringed instrument the combination With the neck thereof of a series of longitudinally-movable rods projecting through the neck and provided With ends overlying the strings, a rock-shaft mounted in and extending lengthwise of the neck, in engaging relation to the rods, and means for actuating said shaft and either of its rods independently of the other rods.

20. In a musical stringed instrument, the combination with the neck thereof, of longitudinally-movable rods projecting transversely up through the neck and provided with ends overlying the strings, means for depressing said rods to shorten the vibrating lengths of the strings, picker-fingers for vibrating the strings, and mechanism actuated by the said rods for operating the picker-fingers.

21. In a musical stringed instrument, the combination with the neck thereof, of longitudinally movable rods projecting transversely up through the neck and provided With ends overlying the strings, means for depressing the rods to shorten the vibrating lengths of the strings, rock-shafts each provided with a picker-finger arranged in operative relation to one of the strings, and means actuated by the said rodswhen the latter are depressed for operating the picker-fingers.

22. In a musical stringed instrument, the combination with the neck thereof, of longitudinally movable rods projecting transversely up through the neck and provided With ends overlying the strings, means for depressing the rods to shorten the vibrating lengths of the strings, rock-shafts arranged longitudinally beneath the neck, picker-iingers mounted on said shafts in operative relation to the strings, and means actuated by the said rods when the latter are depressed for operating the picker-fingers.

23. The combination, with the neck of a musical stringed instrument, of an extension reaching beyond the opposite side of the head of the instrument and supporting the length- Wise tension of the strings, independently of the rim.

24. The combination, with the neck of a musical stringed instrument, of an extension, attached to the neck and extending beyond the head of the instrument, provided at its rear end With an arm extending beyond and above the head and supporting thelengthwise tension of the strings, independently of the rim.

25. In a musical stringed instrument, the combination with the neck thereof, of longitudinally movable rods projecting transversely up through the neck and provided with ends overlying the strings, means for depressing the rods to shorten the vibrating lengths of the strings, rock-shafts arranged longitudinally beneath the neck and provided with crank-pins, a projection arranged on each of the said rods in position to engage the corresponding crank-pin when the rod is depressed and rock the rock-shaft, and pickerarms on said rock-shafts operating, when the latter are rocked, to pick the strings.

26. In a musical stringed instrument, the combination With a neck thereof, of longitudinally-movable rods projecting transversely up through the neck and provided with ends overlying the strings, means for depressing the rods to shorten the vibrating lengths of the strings, rock-shafts arranged longitudinally beneath the neck and provided With crank-pins, two collars arranged on each of the said rods and operating to engage the corresponding crank-pin and rock the shaft in opposite directions When the rod is depressed and raised, and picker-arms on said rock-shaftoperating, when the latter is rocked to pick the strings.

Signed in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE IIOVLETT DAVIS.

lVitnesses:

Jas. I-I. Vonrs, GEORGE BURRELL.

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